Lead the Way
by yaoi-is-wowie21
Summary: In which Xigbar wears a blindfold, Demyx helps him out, and a confrontation occurs. [Demyx x Xigbar] [oneshot]


**Title: **Lead the Way  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Pairing(s): **Demyx/Xigbar, one-shot  
**Warnings: **swearing, helpless!Xigbarbadass!Demyxviolent!Larxene (but what's new there?)  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, yadda yaddayadda.  
**Summary: **In which Xigbar wears a blindfold, Demyx helps him out, anda confrontation occurs.  
**A/N:** Inspired by this wonderful pic by **easy**(underscore)**to**(underscore)**replace** on livejournal. There's a link in my own lj if you want to see it.

Sorry if this seems completely random and long. xD I had so much fun writing Larxene and Marluxia, I couldn't help but keep them in. Even if they are being bitches to Demy.

But holy crap, this thing developed a sort of PLOT. That's never happened to me before! Wow.

**_Lead the Way_**

Naturally, it was quiet in The Castle That Never Was. Not much happened on a world inhabited by only Nobodies and the occasional Heartless. Which is perhaps why the commotion of this day seemed so loud and out of place.

It started with Xigbar. Or, more accurately, with Axel. Xigbar had merely been an innocent bystander, a victim of Axel's juvenile need to show off.

In the end, number two was left with no vision and a deep hatred of Axel and his chakram.

"Don't be such a child, Xigbar," Vexen chided calmly, stepping back from inspecting Xigbar's eye.

"I _told_ him he could take someone's eye out with those!" Xigbar howled, thoroughly furious. "I _told_ him!"

Vexen snorted, ignoring the Freeshooter's angry remarks. "It'll heal soon enough, it wasn't that bad. Your vision should come back soon in that eye."

"And what am I going to do until that? Walk aimlessly into walls?" Xigbar growled, hand covering what had been until recently his good eye.

"Might be a good way to get your mind off things, yes," Vexen replied dryly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll get back to the lab."

Xigbar quickly leapt to his feet. "What? You're just leaving me here?"

"How quickly you catch on. Here." The elder Nobody thrust something soft into Xigbar's hands. "Use that if it bothers you."

"Eh?" It felt like a long strip of cloth. "Did you just give me a blindfold?"

"Or the piece of cloth that held back the drapes. Good luck."

Xigbar could hear Vexen's retreating footsteps, and he groaned. Damned Nobody, leaving him here along and defenseless with only a cloth taken from the drapes... Why did the castle have drapes? More importantly, what if Axel found him? Did the castle even have _windows_?

Xigbar's thoughts were broken by the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Xigbar?"

Ho'shit. It was Roxas. And if Roxas was here, that meant that only seconds away was —

"Xiggy, my man! How are ya?"

Xigbar winced, turning to face the owner of the voice now grating on his ears. "Axel. Roxas." It was all he could get himself to say at the moment.

Axel, on the other hand, had plenty to say. "Woah, wicked! You eye, Xigbar, your eye! It's all gross and — "

"I know what it looks like, okay?" Xigbar interrupted him, hastily turning aside and tying the blindfold over his eyes, not bothering to remove the eyepatch that he always wore. "There."

"How'd you know what it looks like?" Axel began, only to be cut off once more, this time by Roxas.

"Axel! You came here to tell Xigbar something."

"Oh, yeah! Roxas seems to think I should apologize."

"You should," Xigbar grumbled. "And you should be thankful I don't have my hands around your scrawny neck."

"Aw, don't be like that. Besides, it was sorta your fault. You walked right into the trick I was trying to show Roxas with my chakrams — "

"You were in the middle of the hallway, flailing those damn pinwheels around without paying any attention to who was behind you!" Xigbar snapped. He could help being grumpy. After all, he _had_ just gotten his eye nearly gouged out by a crazy pyromaniac.

"What's going on?" A new voice entered the fray. Xigbar recognized it as the all-too-cheerful voice of number nine.

"Xigbar's mad that Axel poked him in the eye with his chakram, thus rendering him blind for some time," Roxas supplied. "Didn't you hear the shouting earlier?"

"I was playing my sitar," Demyx informed them. The blonde tended to be in a world of his own when he was playing that instrument, and no one questioned him about it.

"So Xiggy can't see out of either eye now?" Demyx continued, sound all too happy for Xigbar's tastes.

"That's about it," Roxas answered. Axel seemed to have gotten bored with the conversation, as Xigbar could hear him shuffling around off to his left. "Axel! Don't you dare set fire to those drapes!" There was some scuffling, and Roxas's voice came from where Xigbar assumed the doorway was. "We better get out of here. Axel is sorry, Xigbar." And with that, there was silence.

Only, not for long, since Demyx was still in the room.

"So, what're you going to do now? Sit around the whole time?"

"S'not a bad idea," Xigbar muttered.

"Hey, I know!" Demyx exclaimed suddenly, and the next thing Xigbar knew, a gloved hand had grabbed one of his own tightly. "I can help you get around til your eye heals. It's brilliant!"

"What? No, it's not." Xigbar attempted to pull his hand away, but to no avail. When Demyx was determined about something, he was _determined_. "What are you going to do, hold my hand the entire time?"

"Yeah!"

Xigbar found himself feeling embarrassed. There was no way he was going to go along with this stupid plan...

"If you insist." Eh? Apparently, his mouth didn't feel like cooperating with his brain today.

--------------

Xigbar felt like a right idiot. He might not have been able to see anything, but he sure as hell could hear everything. And he could hear the other Organization members laughing at his predicament.

Being stuck with number nine for an entire day was not many people's idea of a fun time.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Demyx was asking him loudly, and Xigbar decided it was time to pay attention to the boy who could possibly lead him off a cliff if he wasn't careful.

"I don't know," Xigbar groaned. "I wasn't really going to do anything."

"Well, that's boring!" the blonde laughed, swinging their arms cheerily between them. He hadn't let go of the Freeshooter's hand once yet as they walked down one of the castle's many large hallways. "But I guess now that you can't see, the choices are limited..."

Xigbar sighed. Did he have to be reminded of his handicap every couple of seconds? "Yeah, I reckon they are." Might as well go ahead and ask the question. "What do _you_ want to do?"

Xigbar could tell that Demyx just got one hundred percent happier than he already was, if possible. The grip on his hand tightened. "What do I want to do? Usually I play video games with Axel or Roxas, or go bother Zexy, or find something to eat from the kitchen!"

Ugh. There was no way he was going to go anywhere near Axel again for quite some time. And the prospect of hanging with the boy who hardly talked wasn't as interesting as Demyx made it out to be. (Though it did sound amusing, as Xigbar liked to hang around Xaldin at times just to annoy him.) That left the kitchen. That seemed all right. Not many things that could happen to him in the kitchen. Unless Demyx managed to lock him in the freezer or something...

"You hungry now, then?" he finally asked, even though he himself wasn't in the least bit.

"Yeah! Kitchen it is, then!" Demyx crowed, upping the pace at which they were walking. Xigbar sighed again. Nobodies healed exceptionally fast. Maybe, if he was lucky, his eye'd heal up real quick. Like, in the next five minutes. Or maybe in the next —

BAM.

"Ahh, I am so sorry, Xigbar! I forgot to tell you we were turning a corner!"

Xigbar clutched his face with his free hand. What did he need that for anyway?

--------------

Ten minutes later, Xigbar sat sullenly on a stool near the kitchen counter, quietly nursing his bruised forehead with a pack of ice.

"I said I was sorry," Demyx mumbled for about the twentieth time since the incident.

"And I said I forgive ya!" Xigbar replied for the twentieth time as well. It was just a little bruising. And it had probably healed over by now. But Xigbar couldn't help milking it for all it was worth. Demyx was acting just like a mother cat over her kittens, and it made Xigbar laugh. The younger man had almost forgotten to let go of his hand when they had got to the kitchen, even.

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident."

"Look, kid, chill!" Xigbar told him, waving a hand nonchalantly. "Why're you getting all worked up?"

"Because you were so mad at Axel for injuring you," Demyx answered despondently, "and I don't want you getting mad at me like that."

Xigbar let out a loud laugh that was crossed halfway with a snort. "I couldn't get mad at you for such a little injury. Look, it's probably gone now." He removed the ice from his face, feeling Demyx lean closer and poke his forehead.

"Did that hurt?"

"Not at all," Xigbar replied, somewhat unnerved by the way Demyx's breath brushed against his cheek as he spoke.

"How 'bout that?" Demyx gave Xigbar's face another experimental poke. "Or that?"

"Okay, now you're pushing your luck," Xigbar growled facetiously, catching Demyx's hand before he could prod him again. The blonde laughed quietly, and Xigbar could tell that his face was merely inches from his own. What the hell could the kid be thinking? Because all that was going through Xigbar's head at the moment was a soft mantra of _'Oh shit'_.

It was in this position that numbers eleven and twelve walked in on them in.

"What's this?" Larxene stated loudly, causing Xigbar to jump nearly a foot in the air. "Blindfolded spin the bottle or something?"

"I don't think so, Larxene. You need at least more than two people to play spin the bottle," Marluxia grinned.

"Must be just making out, then," the woman responded, sharp laugh filling the room. "My, my, Xigbar. Setting your sights real low this time?"

Xigbar couldn't tell what Demyx was feeling at the moment, but he was as sure as hell that he himself was probably blushing

"What sights?" Marluxia questioned, tone sounding amused. "Someone take out your other eye, Xigbar? Let me guess, it was Demyx here, right?"

That was the last straw. Xigbar slammed his hand down on the counter, about to stand up and tell those two to mind their ranks, but someone else beat him to it.

"I think you two should remember who you're speaking to," Demyx informed them softly, tone much too harsh for the normally chipper Nobody. "Xigbar and I are both higher numbers than you, Eleven and Twelve. I suggest you leave us and go practice your manners."

The three of them were stunned. When did Demyx get so...badass? It was certainly a question worth pondering.

"Whatever," Larxene finally spat out sorely. "Don't be getting a swelled head, kid, just because Number Two's taken a liking to you."

Marluxia grunted something that Xigbar didn't catch, and the next thing he knew, it was quiet. After another moment's silence, Demyx exhaled loudly and dropped down on the counter.

"Oh man, that was terrifying!" he exclaimed. "I thought Larxene was going to electrocute me right then and there!"

Xigbar let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Good job, kid."

"Can you believe them? They thought we were — you know!" Demyx continued, giggling in a rather unmanly way that suited him anyway.

_I thought we were about to 'you know'!_ Xigbar reflected, but he kept that to himself.

"Anyway, at least that's over!" Demyx pointed out, content. "I can't believe those two actually listened to me!"

_Anyone would have listened to you if you ordered them around with that tone of voice_, Xigbar's mind added, but he kept this to himself as well. "You did good, Demyx." He lifted a hand to ruffle the younger Nobody's hair, pausing when he realized he'd probably poke out _his_ eyes in the attempt to find his head. He didn't look like a complete fool, however, as Demyx took this opportunity to grab Xigbar's outstretched hand once more.

"Now where do you want to go?" he asked cheerfully, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

"Huh? Where do I want to go?" Xigbar contemplated this for a moment. "I guess we should inform the Superior about Eleven and Twelve's behavior."

"To Xemnas's office!" Demyx declared loudly, jumping up from his seat and dragging Xigbar along behind him out of the kitchen.

--------------

"Xemnas! Xigbar's here to see you!" Demyx announced after throwing the door to Xemnas's office open noisily. The Superior looked up from his desk. His gaze went from the blindfold over Xigbar's eyes, to their hands, still clasped firmly together, to Demyx's elated expression, and he groaned. He did _not_ want to know what was going on. "Or, not really see you, just tell you something — "

"Yes, yes, get on with it," Xemnas growled, not at all in the mood to listen to the Melodious Nocturne ramble.

"Marluxia and Larxene were disrespecting their elders, sir!" Demyx informed him, not giving Xigbar a chance to speak. "I told them off, but Xiggy said we should tell you about it. Sir."

Xemnas stared at the two. _Demyx_ had told off Marluxia and Larxene? What the hell was wrong with everyone today?

"Is that all?" he finally inquired, keeping his composure and not bursting out into laughter like he wanted to.

"Uh...and Axel poked Xiggy's eye out, sir," Demyx offered. "But that's supposed to get better."

"Very well. You're dismissed."

Before Xigbar could register what was going on, Demyx had pulled him out of the room. And if he wasn't mistaken, he could hear Xemnas roaring with laughter back in the office.

--------------

"Mission complete!"

The two were once again standing in some unknown hallway, Demyx having led them away without thinking where they were headed. Xigbar smiled at the blatant enthusiasm.

"What now, captain?" he joked.

"Um... I don't know. Do you think it's getting late?"

"Late when? We don't have normal days here."

"I know that. But, aren't you tired?"

Xigbar shook his head before realizing what Demyx was going on about. _He_ was tired, but didn't want to admit it. That seemed just like him.

"Actually, now that I think about it, I am tired," Xigbar chuckled. "How about taking me to my room?"

"All right!" Demyx responded gladly. The trip through the halls was more subdued than usual, what with Demyx not chattering away. Xigbar sighed. For some reason, that made him slightly depressed. "Here we are." He set Xigbar's hand on the handle of his bedroom door, and stepped away. "G'night, Xiggy."

"Night, kid," Xigbar replied, forgetting that there was no such thing as night here. He was about to open the door and step into his room, but he could tell that Demyx was still standing beside him. "What?"

"I just wanted to say thanks. Not many people would have put up with me for that long," Demyx muttered.

"No problem. I had fun." And he had, albeit in an odd, 'he-ran-me-into-a-wall-but-that's-okay' sort of way. At least he hadn't made him sit through one of his sitar recitals.

"Yeah." Xigbar waited for more, but when nothing else came, he shrugged and went into his room.

--------------

Xigbar couldn't get to sleep. It had been some time since Demyx had left him, but even now he wasn't feeling tired at all. He had spent at least an hour boredly playing with his blindfold, taking it on and off and on and off til he felt like he was going to explode. The vision in his injured eye was coming back, but hardly. Without the blindfold, he could see blurred outlines in the darkness, but it didn't really help.

Xigbar sighed, rolling over on his bed. Everything seemed too quiet and dull now that Demyx wasn't with him. It was like he was missing something important now.

Heaving another sigh, Xigbar rolled off the bed and landed on his feet. Maybe he'd go see what the kid was up to. Yeah, that felt like a good idea. Even though he was probably asleep or something. Closing his door behind him, he took a moment to find his bearings. Demyx was number nine, he was two. Rooms were on every other side. That meant, if he kept his hand on the wall, Demyx's room would be three rooms down and one across.

Eh, he'd find it eventually.

Making his way casually down the hallway, he heard voices down at the opposite end. He couldn't catch exactly what they were saying, but it didn't sound good. Silently, he continued further down, ears straining to pick up the conversation.

"Thought you'd go report us to the Superior, eh?" Larxene's voice traveled down the empty hall. "Think you're so important, being the second in command's boy toy?"

There was a muffled answer, followed by a yelp that Xigbar instantly recognized as Demyx's.

This was another one of those _'ho'shit'_ moments.

"Maybe we should take out one of your eyes. Think you'd like that?" Larxene continued haughtily. "What do you think, Marluxia? Give him one to match his sweetheart's?"

"I think it'd look lovely," Marluxia answered smoothly, and Demyx whimpered faintly.

"Hey! What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?" Xigbar couldn't have sounded any more outraged if he tried. There was sounds of a struggle further down, and Xigbar felt trembling hands clutch at his sleeve.

"They were gonna — they were — gonna — " Demyx choked out, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"I heard what they were going to do," Xigbar snarled. "Believe me, they won't get away with it."

"And what are you going to do?" Marluxia taunted, snickering. "You're as blind as a potted plant!"

"I'll leave that decision up to the Superior," Xigbar replied cooly. Even with the blindfold, Marluxia and Larxene could both feel the intensity of the glare he was sending their way. "Now, I want you out of here, and I _never_ want to see you two around Demyx ever again? Do I make myself clear?"

Larxene merely spat at his feet. Grabbing Marluxia huffily by the way, the two of them hurried away.

Xigbar sighed, turning his attention to the Nobody still hanging onto his jacket. "Demyx...?"

"Thank you," Demyx muttered, having calmed himself down a bit. "I'm so sorry..."

"What happened? You told them off so well earlier," Xigbar said soothingly.

"They surprised me — caught me in a corner," the blonde explained, burying his face in Xigbar's chest as he hugged the older man tightly. "I was so scared — Larxene, she was really going to — "

"But she's not anymore, okay?" Xigbar consoled him, feeling of awkwardness creeping up on him once more as Demyx hugged him. "It's all right. I'll have Xemnas take care of them for you."

"What if they just get madder because of that?" Demyx asked, voice muffled by Xigbar's jacket. "They'll try to hurt me again — they think you like me more than them."

"I do like you more than them," Xigbar laughed, running a hand through Demyx's abnormally styled hair. "You don't go around picking fights like that. Besides..." He pulled away from Demyx slightly, lifting the younger Nobody's face to look at his eye to eye, even if technically it was eye to blindfold. "If they try anything else, I'll kick their asses."

Demyx chuckled softly, and Xigbar grinned. There was the Demyx that he had come to know and love.

_What? Love?_

Had this been a cartoon, there would have been a mighty big double take there. Nobodies didn't love. He didn't love this runt just because he'd hung out with him for the day. Love was such a silly —

Xigbar was once more distracted from his thoughts, this time not because of someone's voice, or by being poked in the eye or dragged into a wall, or anything of the sort. It was more because Demyx had just pulled him down into a kiss.

It was a rather clumsy kiss at first, Xigbar having not expected it at all, and Demyx clearly having no idea what he was doing. However, Xigbar soon remedied this, and not long after the initiation of said kiss, Demyx was pressed up against the wall, Xigbar's hands trailing over him in every way possible.

Well, if it wasn't love, then at least it was something like lust.

Demyx broke off the kiss after a while, much to Xigbar's displeasure. Pulling himself further up Xigbar's body (something that sent chills down the Freeshooter's spine), he pressed a ethereal kiss to the injured eye hidden behind Xigbar's blindfold. "I love you, Xiggy," Demyx breathed softly into the fabric.

"Yeah. I think I do too."

"What, love yourself?" Demyx laughed.

"Love you. Too."

"That's better."

Okay, so it _was_ something like love. Oh well. He could live with that. Especially if Demyx continued to do whatever it was he was doing to his neck. That was pretty nice.

**end.**

--------------------------------------------------

**A/N:**

I love happy endings, don't you? - Damn though, I didn't mean to make it so long.

But jeez, all of a sudden in the end Xigbar was like, a totally sap! . Don't hurt me. When I write with no idea how something's going to end, it turns out all fluffy and unrealistic! Ahaha.


End file.
